Hexage's Reaper is a Stunning Action RPG for Android

Beginning with retro-flavored titles like Radiant and Buka, all the way through to the glowing neon future depicted in Robotek, Hexage has been making great stuff. Its newest title is a hack-and-slash adventure RPG called Reaper.

Hexage might not be one of the most well-known game developers out there, but it has been a consistent supporter of Android gaming since the early days of the platform. Beginning with retro-flavored titles like Radiant and Buka, all the way through to the glowing neon future depicted in Robotek, Hexage has been making great stuff. Its newest title is a hack-and-slash adventure RPG called Reaper.

The backstory is well-told, though not terribly relevant to the gameplay. All you need to know is that you're on a quest to help the peopel of the forest, but there are plenty of dangers out there. You'll encounter all manner of enemies while completing quests, but also in random encounters.

Reaper is a 2D game that relies on a simplified set of controls. There is no attack button you have to mash repeatedly, nor are there complicated inventory systems. This is a game designed from the ground up to be easy and fun to play on a mobile device. Because it's 2D, you only have left and right movement buttons.

Walking within striking distance of an enemy causes your character to automatically attack with regular strikes. Performing swipe gestures on the right side of the screen initiates manual power attacks and jumps, but you need to build up power through regular attacks to pull off the manual ones. The battles are easy to get into, but it's not a breeze. You really have to keep your wits about you to take out the enemies and collect the gold without getting slain yourself.

As you traverse the land, new quests will be presented to you. Reaper does a good job of directing you to the next battle or town in the quest. There's no complicated quest journal to consult, either.

Reaper has that familiar Hexage aesthetic complete with eerie lighting effects, bright colors, and smooth lines. The variety and detail of the enemies is also wonderful. The game is incredibly polished from top to bottom.

You can play part of Reaper for free, but you'll need to buy the full version via an in-app purchase for $2.99 if you want the whole thing. There are also higher tiers of the game you can buy if you want extra content and items. These modes are $3.99 and $4.99.

Ryan Whitwam is a freelance tech/science writer and fan of all things electronic. This long-time skeptic and former research scientist is a lover of the em dash and a defender of the Oxford comma. He also writes for Geek.com and ExtremeTech.
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